In terms of subject context and theme in which I have decided to focus on within my project, I aim exploring the Windrush Scandal and Windrush Generation, and further immigration into the UK. Researching into these subjects using the internet and library resources, I have discovered the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 - a United Nations Treaty defining what a refugee is and what human rights they have. I feel this Treaty is relevant, considering it defines the basic, legal human rights a refugee has, playing an extremely important role within immigration history. The treaty further separates the difference between refugees and war criminals, those that disobey legislation's made for war and violate other individuals within society, and includes the history of what countries agreed and which didn't with names of politicians.
Some examples within the 1951 Treaty include:
- Freedom of Movement
- Travel Documentation
- Self Employment / Wage Earning Employment
- Housing
- Personal Status
- Public Education
- Labour Legislation
Refugee Convention 1951 Treaty -
https://documents.law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/RefugeeConvention1951FullText_0.pdf
Windrush Generation -
Beginning in 1948 after the war, the Windrush Generation followed Caribbean individuals who came to Britain post-war in aim to repair Britain, acquiring the many jobs that were available for repairment. Considering the Caribbean was still owned by the British government, Britain had the power to encourage individuals to come over to work. 'The Empire Windrush,' a famous boat, travelled thousands of miles to arrive at Tilbury Docks where the Caribbeans were departing to start their new lives. On arrival, many experienced vast amounts of racial discrimination, and it was highly difficult for the generation to get jobs, considering most white, British companies stated that they did not want ethnic people to work within their firms. As discrimination, inequality and bullying got worse from parents' work places to bullying in children's schools, many riots occurred with racial attacks.
British Nationality Act 1948 - Each country part of Commonwealth would legislate for its own citizenship, therefore having an independent status rather than one shared under all Commonwealth countries. This provided independence to British individuals in terms of status, first discussed in 1946 within Canadian parliament,and agreed in Commonwealth conference in 1947. This links to the idea of nationalism:
Nationalism - The idea that a country would succeed by itself, considering its aims and goals would be more beneficial by acting independently rather than collectively with other states. Hence the name of nationalism, the country would have more national goals over international goals.
British Subject - Terminology used to describe British nationals before the British Nationality Act, those who had been born under British owned land, but were Commonwealth citizens.
In terms of my project, I feel that the exploration and representation of this at is highly important, considering it's one of the first Acts that legally defines a British Citizen, in linkage to the acts acceptance and societies response to immigrants arrival off The Empire Windrush - the parallel between those both is one I aim to explore photographically, representing the emotions: independence, ignorance, ethnic anger but British happiness, etc.
Windrush Scandal -
The Windrush Scandal is one of the most recent British, racial, political scandals occurring in 2018, following citizens of the Windrush Generation and their children, who had been accused of rights to live within the UK due to immigration law change in 2012. 83 cases were wrongly deported by the Home Office, being wrongfully denied of their rights, causing them to lose places of living and jobs. After reviewing upto 11,800 cases. Home Secretary and Theresa May, prime minister of the time, had apologised for wrongfully removing individuals, and helped anyone who had left the UK to return.
Bibliography -
Wiki, 2020 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_Relating_to_the_Status_of_Refugees [2020]
Gentleman, Amelia (2019) Chased into self deportation, the most disturbing Windrush case so far https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/14/scale-misery-devastating-inside-story-reporting-windrush-scandal [2020]
What is the Windrush Generation? https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/43793769 [2020]
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